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I'm iffy on this news. I don't think every DC Comics character needs to be taken in a darker direction. It worked for Batman because he is a darker character. The Dark Knight was not a success because it was a dark movie -- it was a success because it was a good movie.

As for the Superman news, while I would have liked to have seen a continuation of Superman Returns under the direction of Bryan Singer I am more than open to a new interpretation. Now the biggest question is, since this is a reboot, will we see any of the cast from Returns -- including Brandon Routh -- or a completely new cast? I'm assuming that we'll see a new actor as the Man of Steel, which is something I'm not entirely convinced is the best course of action.

Like the recent Batman sequel -- which has become the highest-grossing film of the year thus far -- Mr. Robinov wants his next pack of superhero movies to be bathed in the same brooding tone as "The Dark Knight." Creatively, he sees exploring the evil side to characters as the key to unlocking some of Warner Bros.' DC properties. "We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it," he says. That goes for the company's Superman franchise as well.

Robinov thinks he's found a magic formula, but I doubt that Nolanizing Superman is such a brilliant idea.

Like the recent Batman sequel -- which has become the highest-grossing film of the year thus far -- Mr. Robinov wants his next pack of superhero movies to be bathed in the same brooding tone as "The Dark Knight." Creatively, he sees exploring the evil side to characters as the key to unlocking some of Warner Bros.' DC properties. "We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it," he says. That goes for the company's Superman franchise as well.

Robinov thinks he's found a magic formula, but I doubt that Nolanizing Superman is such a brilliant idea.

Exactly. I'm a bit worried now. One of people's biggest complaints towards Superman Returns was how brooding and dramatic it was. Wouldn't you think they'd want to lighten it up for another go-around?

The best news coming out of that article is confirmation that WB is planning a much bigger push to get more DC films made, with DC superheroes getting individual films that lead up to team films. The prospect of two DC superhero films per year is awesome (if, of course, it pans out).

As for WB aiming to make dark films, note that he says as dark as each character allows. Overall, I take that as good news, too, since it means they'll be concentrating on making serious superhero films and not getting into any Jack Black as Green Lantern malarkey.

Like the recent Batman sequel -- which has become the highest-grossing film of the year thus far -- Mr. Robinov wants his next pack of superhero movies to be bathed in the same brooding tone as "The Dark Knight." Creatively, he sees exploring the evil side to characters as the key to unlocking some of Warner Bros.' DC properties. "We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it," he says. That goes for the company's Superman franchise as well.

Robinov thinks he's found a magic formula, but I doubt that Nolanizing Superman is such a brilliant idea.

Exactly. I'm a bit worried now. One of people's biggest complaints towards Superman Returns was how brooding and dramatic it was. Wouldn't you think they'd want to lighten it up for another go-around?

I enjoy Returns. But I can easily see how people have problems with it, particularly tonally. Instead of "dark and brooding" the concept should be "tone which best suits the character". I don't know that Superman lends itself readily to dark and brooding, or that it should. The character always struck me as being most effective when it is used to evoke a sense of wonder from the extent of all those impossible powers. It's the clear eyed optimism of a superpowered farm boy in the face of all that darkness, which I think is what makes the character unique.

The challenge is not to make him darker, but to make those aspects work without being corny.

WB seem to be missing the point here. As Jackson points out, dark worked for Batman because Bats is a dark character. Superman is the light to that darkness. One of the biggest complaints lobbed at SR was the downbeat mood. Not every movie needs to be as down or grim as TDK. Look at the success of Iron Man - a feelgood,light-hearted movie, which pleased pretty much everyone. Sure, no-one wants the next Superman movie to be like Batman and Robin or Superman III, but it has to find its own tone, not be a clone of TDK.

It's looking increasingly unlikely, but I still would like to see Routh return, albeit with a spunkier and older Lois and a more menacing, sinister Lex. Off the top of my head, Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci?!

Ugh. As much as I wanted at least one followup to SR, I don't really have a problem with a fresh start. But "dark and brooding"? Isn't that the complaint most people already had with SR?

It's hard to get any darker than Superman getting the crap kicked out of him, watching him crawl through the muck, and then seeing him get stabbed in the back with kryptonite as he yells out in pain! Hell, I still find that scene in SR to be more powerful and disturbing than anything I saw in TDK.

If they want to give people a Superman movie they want to see, just make it light and fun and action-packed like Iron Man. It's not that hard to figure out.

Ugh. As much as I wanted at least one followup to SR, I don't really have a problem with a fresh start. But "dark and brooding"? Isn't that the complaint most people already had with SR?

I had the opposite complaint: that the film, amongst its many other faults, was corny, cheesy, and all-around impossible to take seriously. A dark Superman could work; my favourite version of the character is the JLU version, seasoned and perhaps a bit world-weary for it, concerned with the dynamic between his power, his notion of justice, and the free will of others. But then, my favourite 'Superman' concept is JMS' version of Hyperion in the Supremeverse, which squarely situates an entity of such power into the realpolitiks of the modern world.